Semberholme
Semberholme is the lower southwest section of the forest of Cormanthor, a range of wooden hills that form one of the ancient four communities of the area (the others being Myth Drannor to the north, Elven Court to the far northeast, and the Tangled Vale to the east). The area has always been known for its seclusion and beauty, a place where elves could send their sick, their aged, and their pregnant to seek comfort and solace. Semberholme is the initial setting of our story. History The history as the local elves know it is old, far older than any of the other communities in Cormanthor. Semberholme existed, as is taught in the local schools here, back through the long interim years before the retreat after the fall of Myth Drannor, over six hundred years ago. It was a well-known redoubt for the elves of the empire of Cormanthyr, which controlled these woods for many millenia before that calamitous event in the capital. And as far as anyone knows, Semberholme existed for thousands of years before Cormanthyr was even a dream. The trees are old, and the forest is sentient with an ancient wisdom, watching over its inhabitants. One notable event in recent history might be the recent (last half century) surge in population, as fertility rates seemed to climb and the elves of the woods seem to be outputting offspring with near-human speed. This event is referred to locally as the baby boom. The elders cannot account for the reasoning, but some are seeing it as a blessing or perhaps a portent of things to come. Drow Incursion The elves of Erülisse, a small village north and east of Lake Sember, recently discovered that the drow have been spotted in the woods of Semberholme, thanks to the efforts of Echo Aurora and Illwyn Galadryn. What implications this has is yet to be seen, but it is surely an unfortunate event. In all of Semberholme's long history, despite many incursions by the dark elves into Cormanthyr and neighbouring elven nations, Semberholme had never been infiltrated until now. Geography Lake Sember marks the center of this realm, atop a great hill that Semberholme surrounds. The area is hilly in general and covered in thick patches of starwood, home to many immense trees such as maples and oaks, many cresting more than two hundred feet high. The canopy is so thick in most places so as to bathe the floor in perpetual darkness, as if the inhabitants forever walked in dusk. To the east, one can pass through Semberholme over the River Ashaba past the Vale of Lost Voices to the Tangled Vale, or further south out of the trees into the human lands of Battledale. If one walked south, she could enter the land of Deepingdale, cross the Glaemril river, where the great East Way could take a traveller east to Sembia or west to the realm of Cormyr. West of Semberholme lie the great Thunder Peaks, a high, treacherous mountain range prone to violent storms and hidden ambushes by orcs or worse. Finally, to the north, one could pass through the old land of Shadowdale, cross the Moonsea Ride which bisects the forest linking Cormyr past the Standing Stone to the Moonsea. Past Shadowdale lies the thick starwood once home to the capital of Cormanthyr, now the ruined hollow of Myth Drannor. The area of Semberholme is well known for its mists, which cause naturally when cold air from the Thunder Peaks drift down and clash with warm humidity off of the lake. These mists seem to permeate life on the ground here, and were once known to be magical, infused with the spirits of forgotten elven guardians. The locals do not notice, but foreigners often feel anxious in their presence, and this might account for the minority of non-elves in the area. External Information For more information on Semberholme (beyond what the characters in the game may know), check out these sources: * Semberholme on the Forgotten Realms Wiki Category:Locations in Cormanthor